George Real Estate Group Radio Broadcast

Beyond the Call: Bessie Bright's Legacy of Service

• George Real Estate Group

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Meet Bessie Bright, a remarkable woman whose family roots in Henderson County stretch back generations, and whose lifetime of service has touched countless lives throughout the community. As a charter member of DOE, a benevolent organization celebrating 30 years of community support, Bessie exemplifies what it means to be a hometown hero.

During this heartwarming conversation, Bessie shares details about DOE's innovative fundraising efforts, including their upcoming golf ball drop at Fireside Golf Range where hundreds of numbered balls will cascade from a fire truck ladder to raise funds for scholarships and teen Christmas gifts. With prizes ranging from multiple rounds of golf at local courses to spa packages and even putt-putt with pizza, this creative event perfectly captures the community spirit that defines Henderson County.

The episode also offers fascinating insights into Bessie's extensive volunteer resume spanning decades of service with organizations including the Hendersonville Business and Merchants Association, Business and Professional Women's Organization, VFW Auxiliary, and American Legion Auxiliary. Her deep connection to local history—tracing her lineage to Captain John Levi who walked from Charleston to establish land in Green River, and being a direct descendant of a Daughters of the American Revolution Patriot—provides context for her lifelong commitment to community service. Noah from George Real Estate Group also shares an encouraging update on the local housing market, noting that despite national headlines, Henderson County real estate remains stable with steady prices and consistent sales. Connect with the George Real Estate Group at 828-393-0134 or visit their office in Flat Rock to learn how they've helped nearly 1,600 families find their perfect home in this special community.

Speaker 1:

The George Real Estate Group radio broadcast is celebrating 10 years on WHKP. The George Real Estate Group is celebrating 10 years on the radio, live every Thursday morning at 10.05 on WHKP 107.7 FM and AM 1450 and streaming online at WHkpcom. Each Friday morning at 845,. The George Real Estate Group presents the Hometown Hero Award to someone in our community who goes above and beyond to make our hometown a better place to live. Here's this week's Hometown Hero Show. It's 845 and it's time on Friday mornings to do our George Real Estate Group Hometown Hero Salute, and we look forward to this part of the week every week when Noah comes to join us from the George Real Estate Group and updates us on the real estate world. How you doing.

Speaker 2:

Noah. Well, so much to be thankful for. I mean, the real estate market is strong. I mean it's not what it was. But be careful when you hear about all the headlines about the sky is falling but the market's absolutely still moving. Life is happening, therefore real estate's happening, and we're here every Thursday at 10 sharing about positive news about the real estate market. We're here every Friday morning sponsoring the Hometown Heroes series and just grateful. But it's all about context and the story and the numbers. The numbers tell a story, but you know our prices are holding average single-family home prices in the 540s. We're averaging about 126 single-family homes a month. Selling Inventory levels are in the 600s. I mean, again, it's all okay and everybody's home, everybody's situation is unique and different and you know we can help and we do a no pressure, no cost, no obligation, consultation and we just have a conversation to provide clarity so our clients can decide what's right for them.

Speaker 1:

Well, you've been doing that for a long time and helping a lot of people right through this very transition you're talking about.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely, whether you're thinking about buying and then selling, or selling and then buying, this is actually my 20th year serving the community through real estate and we've had the privilege of helping almost 1600 families throughout the years and 1600, just grateful. And and we're located in Flat Rock next to the Flat Rock Bakery. It's a dangerous place for location next to the barbecue and the campfire grill in Hubaloo and all the camp families are coming in and out with all the, the, the, the it's amazing it is.

Speaker 1:

It is wild I mean in a good way, right? Yes, in a good way economic impact is incredible but there's so many communities around western north carolina who are not uh enjoying what you're talking about.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and it is. It's a, it's truly a gift and we're grateful and it's it's been you know decades. Uh, it's been happening like this again. It's been you know, decades it's been happening like this Again. It's a legacy that's been going on with the summer camps and then certainly our community that we have here, the downtown Hendersonville and everything that our community is about, and people it's contagious, People want to be here and we love sharing the story about.

Speaker 1:

Hendersonville. Yes, we do, yes, we do, and we do it every Friday morning right here on WHKP. Our friend Bessie Bright is here and we always kid Bessie about. Which hat do you have on today, bessie, that's for sure. I think today we're going to talk mainly about the big golf drop you've got planned tomorrow out at Fireside Golf Range right Fireside Golf Range.

Speaker 3:

Tomorrow morning about 10 o'clock we're going to have Mountain Home Fire Department come out with their ladder truck and drop I don't know how many hundreds of golf balls and drop, and then the one that goes in this particular hole wins a terrific prize. It's four rounds of golf at three or four golf courses here in Henderson.

Speaker 2:

County, you get.

Speaker 3:

Kenmure and Etowah Valley, and I think Cummings Coast, crooked Creek.

Speaker 1:

Crooked Creek. Yep, yep.

Speaker 3:

That is going to be. To me that should be. A golfer's dream is to have all those rounds of golf. And then the second place package is sort of a spa package for the ladies. If there's a lady golfer there and then the last one everybody's laughing about, that's the one they want is putt-putt, and pizza.

Speaker 1:

Putt-putt and pizza.

Speaker 3:

Caught my eye too. So if you have $10 extra this morning, give me a call right now, because it's going to stop about 5 o'clock this afternoon because we've got to get the rest of those balls numbered. Each ball will have a number.

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah.

Speaker 3:

And it's $10 per ball and we'll hope your ball goes in the hole.

Speaker 1:

Well, tell us about the Doe.

Speaker 3:

Okay, the Doe of which I am a charter member. It started about 30 years ago and we are a benevolent, patriotic organization and we work to help different charities in the community and this is a charity drive. So we have a scholarship at Blue Ridge Community College and we've been giving that for many, many years and we think it's $500 okay for a working woman wanting to go back to school.

Speaker 3:

You know sometimes if you've got extra money for books or it doesn't have to be tuition, if you actually got that money and you can go to the school and draw it out to get gas or childcare, I think you can use it that way. But it's in reserve for you at the college.

Speaker 3:

And then our other big charity is Christmas, and I think we talked about that the other day. The Elks do a fantastic job with Christmas. They take about 130 names and give Christmas food for a couple of weeks, buy Christmas gifts for infants to 12 years old.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 3:

And we begin to look at wait a minute, if you're 13 to 18 in the same home and everybody's got a Christmas present but the teenager. So that's the Doge project. Is we buy Christmas for the teenagers? It's usually gift cards for. Mcdonald's or Wendy's or wherever. Whoever will help us with the fast food gift cards and game spot gift cards.

Speaker 1:

Teenage stuff.

Speaker 3:

Teenage stuff. They say download it on the app and I'm like do what? Okay?

Speaker 1:

Here's your gift card. You go, do it.

Speaker 3:

You go do it. And then we also support, of course, the American Heart Association, the Dogs for the Deaf or the Dogs for the Handicapped. Now, this is a national program, which I am very pleased. I've seen this at work. The dogs just take over, help people with their eyesight, of course, people who have hearing problems, or now the therapy dogs. So we're pleased with that and of course, we always help our local Council on Aging Interfaith Storehouse. Wow, we take a separate project each month.

Speaker 1:

Well, the Storehouse is one of our favorite folks here, right, noah yeah we had.

Speaker 2:

Yes, we had Lynn Stacks sharing about everything that's going on with the storehouse. Is one of our favorite folks here, right, noah? Yeah, we had. Yes, we had Lynn Stack sharing about everything that's going on with the storehouse. Wonderful organization.

Speaker 3:

Wonderful.

Speaker 2:

Bessie, you're originally from Henderson County.

Speaker 1:

I'm a native.

Speaker 3:

Which is incredible. And then were your parents originally from here as well my parents, yes, my parents, my. The story is Captain John Levi. I just go over everything. Walked from Charleston, south Carolina, across the border into North Carolina and they stepped off their plots of land in the Green River community. Wow, the Bob's Creek community is named for one of my ancestors, so yes born and raised here, my mother's part of the. She's actually a direct descendant of Abraham Kirkendall, part of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Speaker 3:

He's the Daughters of the American Revolution, Patriot.

Speaker 2:

Wow, it's quite a legacy.

Speaker 3:

Backgrounds in Henderson County.

Speaker 2:

But who in your life modeled volunteering? Who influenced you? I mean it's incredible what you do it is, but was there somebody that modeled that for you growing up? I mean I'm just curious, Was there an influence?

Speaker 3:

Probably my mother and her sisters. They were always doing something and my mother had a particular sister whom we always lovingly called Aunt Jean. She was into everything and she lived out on Big Willow, and then my, her, their older sister was Aunt Betty and she was very opinionated about things. So I guess I learned from them to listen and go do, and I can remember being taken as a young teenager to various programs, and one of the first one was going to the old six company reunion. Now, this is those people who went to World War One, those young men who were young men in Henderson County.

Speaker 3:

Wow, and my I had three uncles who was in that. So that's sort of the history of why I'm working with the veterans and you had a lot of family members that served.

Speaker 3:

Had. A lot of family members have a nephew who served. My dad did not serve because he had two daughters when World War II started and then they decided they would take those and then he went back and then I got called the war baby because I came along at the time he was supposed to go. So he and several of his friends had children my age and when we graduated from high school that's why they called us the war babies- because we came along right after Pearl Harbor.

Speaker 1:

So I've seen you around here at WHKP so much over the last years and in previous years at another radio station in town. I believe you, like Noah, kind of got bit by the radio bug.

Speaker 3:

Yes, I will admit, yes, I will admit. And the sad thing is to me.

Speaker 3:

I had a friend. I was working out of town, going to school in Forest City and had a friend who said go to I think it was WBBO. He said you would make a wonderful radio announcer. You go down there and tell them I sent you that you need a job. I didn't realize that radio stations opened up, started, locked their doors and left and I never could get into them and I've regretted that ever since. Then I came back and went to work for Brunson's Furniture and got to fill in for Bill Brim.

Speaker 1:

Yes, Tell us about that. You've been on the air here at WHKP a lot. You had a show of your own right.

Speaker 3:

With Bill and Art Cooley and Richard Rhodes Did community news and views for years. Yeah, I would fill in for Bill Prim when, he believe it or not, we both worked at Brunson's Furniture Right. I worked there for 12 years I think Bill worked there longer and I would fill in when he had something else to do. Yes, I got bit by the bug right then Loved it, and then Randy Terry and I would switch off when it became just us at Brunson's and then I left.

Speaker 3:

And then I went to work at Spearman and Prim and got to do the radio program pretty much.

Speaker 1:

Exactly.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, then Pam Helms and I would switch off, and I did it after Pam retired full time.

Speaker 1:

Just a couple of minutes left. Give us a list of the organizations. I know you're very active still in the Hendersonville Merchants and Business Association.

Speaker 3:

Yes, I'm still active, past president of the Hendersonville Business and Merchants Association and we still put on the Christmas parade and the Fourth of July parade. Incidentally, we're working on the 4th of July parade for next year.

Speaker 2:

All right the.

Speaker 3:

Senean County has told us they really want a big parade and we're trying to work on getting on the anniversary parade and 250th and I'm working with the DAR which I'm a member of that. I was a member of the Hendersonville Business and Professional Women's Organization for 40 years. Member of the Hendersonville business and professional women's organization for 40 years. That was probably my favorite time and where I gained most accomplishments. I was their woman of the year.

Speaker 3:

Oh and then our. We set up a scholarship program for five of our charter members and we had great times. We had the Marie Brookshire Scholarship, we had the Working Woman, the High School Senior, laura McDonald Scholarship and Casey Braden from Flat Rock Playhouse. And then, as we began to dwindle, as young women looked at us and says we don't have to worry about the broke breaking the glass ceiling, we can do what we want to. We lumped it all together and put it in with the Community Foundation. It's now the business and professional women's scholarship. Okay, I've been with the VFW auxiliary and the American Legion auxiliary. Of course merchants and I was a member of the Tops Club and that's take off pounds sensibly For those of you that know me know I've had a weight problem and I'm trying to think a member of the First Baptist Church, a co-teacher of Sunday school class.

Speaker 1:

Listen, though, I'm telling you, if you want something done.

Speaker 2:

you work with somebody that's busy, right, Exactly I tell people I'm the world's greatest has-been.

Speaker 3:

I have been in prayer for most of these. No, you're not.

Speaker 1:

We just appreciate you so much and just wanted to come in and promote the big golf ball drop tomorrow Tomorrow. Yeah, at the Fireside Driving Range. That's right on Brookside Camp Road. And Noah remind us how to get in touch with the Georgia Real Estate Group.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely Grateful to sponsor the Hometown Heroes series. Every Friday morning you can reach out to the Georgia Real Estate Group at 828-393-0134.

Speaker 1:

Join us next week for our George Real Estate Group Hometown Hero Series.

Speaker 2:

Maybe the house feels a little too big these days, the stairs a little steeper, the pace of life a little too fast. But what if your next move wasn't about letting go. It was about making space for peace, for freedom, for what matters most? At the George Real Estate Group, we understand that real estate isn't just about the house. It's about transitions, timing and trust. We've helped thousands of families in Western North Carolina make smart, thoughtful moves Closer to nature, closer to family, closer to home. So when you're ready to right-size, simplify or start fresh, we'll be here. The George Real Estate Group, local, trusted, proven. Call us today, 828-393-0134. Find us online at realestatebygregcom, because your next chapter deserves to feel just right.

Speaker 1:

The George Real Estate Group is located in Flat Rock, north Carolina, near Hendersonville in Henderson County. You can find them online at realestatebygregcom. The George Real Estate Group can be reached at 828-393-0134, or stop by their office at 2720 Greenville Highway, flat Rock, north Carolina. Or stop by their office at 2720 Greenville Highway, flat Rock, north Carolina. Tune in live each week on Thursdays at 10.05 am on WHKP 107.7 FM and 14.50 am, or stream online at WHKPcom or download these podcasts wherever you get your podcasts. The George Real Estate Group brings you the WHKP Hometown Hero Series every Friday morning at 8 45.